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“Desertification Claim in Phulbari Unrealistic
Prof. Dr. Ajoy K. Ghose, FNAE
World’s leading mining expert Prof. Dr. Ajoy K. Ghose thinks Phulbari Coal Mine Project has more potential compared to Barapukuria Coal Mine. It is possible to extract 15 million tonne/year of coal safely. And water management is the major challenge for it. The plan the project authorities have taken is world class. Environment and rehabilitation challenges are also manageable. On the other side, the claim of causing desertification due to withdrawal of water from the mining area is unrealistic. Such a situation will not happen in real sense. Prof. Ghose has been closely working on mining for five decades. He started his career from a UK mine at the age of 23. But he has long association with teaching profession. Prof. Ajoy Ghose is now visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of UNDP for a study on Sustainable Energy based on Alternative Fuel such as coal. A former Director of Indian School of Mines, he is now a mining industry consultant and Editor of the Journal of Mine, Metals and Fuels. He is also a part-time Director of Central Mine Planning & Design Institute, Ranchi. He talked to Editor of Energy & Power Mollah Amzad Hossain. Following are the excerpts of the interview:
EP: How do you evaluate the energy sector of Bangladesh?
Ajoy: Bangladesh faces acute crisis of energy. The depleting gas resource creates a very critical situation for country’s future energy situation. So, the country needs to exploit all possible energy alternatives to ensure energy mix so that the economic growth does not slowdown because of non-availability of energy supply. Bangladesh has one of the lowest per capita energy consumptions and it has gas reserves, which is fast depleting. There is no recent oil discovery. It has a coal reserve of 2.4 billion metric tonnes and it is a big challenge how the country can ensure maximum use of coal overcoming the hurdles against coal exploitation.
EP: You are saying that coal extraction is a big challenge and difficult task. Why you are saying so, would you explain the matter in details?
Ajoy: There is a water-bearing formation over the coal deposits of Bangladesh North-West region. It is called Dupi Tila and such a formation cannot be found in most of the countries. There is a similar formation in Neyveli Lignite Mine in South India. For extraction of each tonnes of Lignite, it needs to pump out 12-13 tonnes of water. So, without pumping of water, it is not possible to extract Lignite. Water management is a big challenge to work beneath of he Upper Dupi Tila and lower Dupi Tila. It is difficult but possible. And it certainly involves technology and cost.
In Barapukuria, coal is being extracted through underground mining and there is problem with this water-bearing layer too. A big flooding took place once that reduced the quantity of extractable coal.
I cannot say definitely but I came to realize through my discussions with officials of Barapukuria who went to Indian Institute of Coal Management it may not be possible to extract one million tonne of coal annually from this mine. And the main reason is that it is very difficult to do such a feat using multi-slice mining in underground method. It is possible under open-cut or surface mining. But in such a situation, water management is also a big challenge. I told you about Neyvely. There are a number of lignite mines of Rheinbraun near Cologne in Germany. Such water-bearing structures are also there. They are mining by pumping out water continuously. There is technology, it is possible but certainly, the entire job is a difficult task.
EP: Would you please explain more elaborately about India’s Neyvely mine?
Ajoy: Over 32 million tonnes of lignite are being extracted every year from these mines and the lignite is being used to produce some 2750 MW electricity and it is the largest power hub in that region.
EP: You are comparing Bangladesh situation with India and German mining. Would tell me in details?
Ajoy: There are open-pit mines in both places –Neyvaly and Rheinbraun. I think mining could be done more successfully and much greater scale of operation in open-pit method in Phulbari compared to Barapukuria. I knew about Phulbari, its conditions and saw their mining plan. It is my observation, if the scope is created, it would be possible to extract 15 million tonnes of coal annually that could help to generate 500 MW, 1000 MW and even 2000 MW electricity in phases. It needs 6 million tonnes of coal. The pumping system that has been planned for water management in Phulbari is of high standard.
EP: Petrobangla recently held a symposium on coal where you were present. How do you evaluate the discussions and opinions?
Ajoy: Different people explained the matter in their own ways and they did so without knowing the mining systems. They do not know how it would be possible and how it would not be possible. It should not be right for me to say. But that is what I came to know from that discussion. I think Phulbari is a well-conceived project and the plans that have been made for environmental mitigation are sound and also got environmental clearance from the government. Some people will be displaced, but should be manageable with care. I personally believe Bangladesh economy will benefit once Phulbari project is fully implemented. It is assumed from evaluation that it will add 1 percent to the GDP growth.
EP: Projects face losses due delay in implementation. You have enough experience about mining. What is your observation about the incidences centering Phulbari and the delay in getting approval?
Ajoy: I am not fully conversant with the ground realities. Politics is everywhere. It is not only in Bangladesh, India faces the same situation. Last year, 456 million tonne coal and 32 million metric tonne lignite were extracted in India. Government has taken a policy to allow more of private sector in mining but many are opposing it. But we are observing it that it is not possible to meet the demand of electricity in India without extraction of coal. India gets over 70-71 percent power from coal and it will increase in future because India’s vision is to reach electricity to every body by 2012. I think that Bangladesh needs to extract coal to increase electricity generation. So, the government should take an informed decision on Phulbari without keeping the matter pending.
EP: In India policies are being changed in coal sector. Actually, what is happening there and how the civil society is evaluating these?
Ajoy: India is also facing some problems in extraction of coal. Keep it in mind that civil society is active everywhere and they are demarcating a land as forest even with a few trees and they are trying to prevent coal extraction in the name of forest preservation. Because, environmental clearances are not given in such cases. The Indian government and the regulatory authorities are working together on how to go ahead mitigating such problems. It is government’s prime target to extract maximum coal minimizing all adverse effects. In 2006, the Planning Commission formed a committee to review India’s mining policy and that committee presented a set of recommendations highlighting how the license would be given and what the royalty would be. The cabinet approved the policy in the light of those recommendations but it is yet to be passed by Parliament. But this time, Parliament will pass it.
At present, there are a lot of discussions on Coal Mine Nationalization Act. Captive mining is being allowed but they are not given permission to sell coal. Permission must be given to sell coal if anyone is allowed to extract coal.
EP: You are well-aware that the civil society is doing the same thing in Bangladesh. What is observation about it?
Ajoy: Civil society is also focusing on different issues. They are trying to prescribe that underground coal mine is needed in Phulbari but there is no scope to think about such a mine for Phulbari. I want to say it again that there is no alternative but to go ahead with a large-sized open-cut mining plan for Phulbari.
EP: Some experts here are suggesting conservative mining. What is your opinion?
Ajoy: We should not use any term like conservative mining. It should be ensured that maximum extraction of coal should be the target if we think about mining. But it will be a different issue if we want to preserve coal for future generations. Then, there would be no need to have a mine.
It is possible to keep closed a gas field after its development but if coal extraction is once started, there is no scope to stop it. And you have to use the extracted coal. There is risk of catching fire by self-heating if we keep coal stacked.
EP: There is also controversy about sustainable energy development. How do you explain it?
Ajoy: Actually, sustainable development, sustainable energy development are nebulous ideas. It is notoriously difficult to give a clear definition. It is said sustainable development means economic sustainability, social and environmental sustainability. I think economic sustainability is the real thing. All others will be taken care of if there is economic sustainability.
EP: You have seen our draft coal policy. Would you comment about it?
Ajoy: I had an opportunity to see it. Actually, it is not a policy paper in real sense. It is an action paper and you must keep it in mind that policy and action are completely different things. Policy is a guideline for what should be done in long term. So small issues included in it could never be part of a policy. The demand of electricity has been mentioned in the policy, which is unnecessary. Policy cannot contain demand figures; it can only articulate the overall intent for the nation.
EP: Some people are saying that it should not be rational to do an open-cut mine with 200-meter depth showing India’s Raniganj mine as example?
Ajoy: It depends on economic considerations how deep you will go to extract coal. I think it is site-specific. In India, coal is being extracted from 250-meter depth and in our country, some 87 percent coal is being extracted from open-pit mines. Underground mining is reducing day by day in India because it has become difficult in terms of costs, production volume and safety.
EP: It has been widely discussed about Phulbari mine that water level will go downward when water will be pumped out and the entire area will gradually turn into desert. What is your observation?
Ajoy: Look, water table will go down when water will be pumped out. But it is possible to solve such a problem through recharging or injecting water back. And those who are talking about desertification are only speculating.
EP: Mining affects farmland. Would re-filling of mining area restore the fertility of land?
Ajoy: Farmland will certainly be affected by mining but if we refilled it after extraction of coal, it becomes possible to vegetate it again. In some cases, the land becomes more fertile and for this topsoil must be preserved. It must be kept in mind that hybrid crops are cultivated by using fertilizer and water is used, the production will certainly be increased. On he other hand, it is possible to turn double-crop land into a three-crop land. It will take time to restore fertility if topsoil is not preserved.
EP: We have to think about community if we develop mine. How we can ensure rehabilitation of community?
Ajoy: It is really a big challenge. If the entire mining area is not developed along with the mine, it will look desert. Under the present system, it would not be enough to rehabilitate the people of the mining area, we must ensure rehabilitation of entire area economically. And for this reason, industries, schools and hospitals will be set up there and bringing back people to their respective professions.
We should remember that we are making man-made capital through exploiting natural resources. People must be trained up for the new jobs and we need resources and we need to search for new energy resources. For this reason, coal extraction has become essential for Bangladesh.
EP: It is now worldwide recognized that company community bridging is necessary for developing mine. What is your opinion about it for Bangladesh?
Ajoy: It is true. Coal mines across Europe faces closure, leaving workers jobless and it is responsibility of the governments there to rehabilitate the workers and their children to new jobs through training.
But USA, China, India and Australia are extracting coal to meet their energy demand. USA extracts 1000 million tonnes annually, India 450 million tonnes, China 2400 million tonnes, Indonesia 160 million tonnes, Australia 300 million tonnes, South Africa 230 million tonnes and Colombia 100 million tonnes. These countries are extracting coal and ensuring the jobs for their communities. In Bangladesh, the community must be compensated and rehabilitated properly and sensitively.
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Source:http://www.ep-bd.com/
Date: 01-15 MAY 2008, Bangladesh
